


There Will Come a Poet

by Faye_Violet



Category: Dream SMP - Fandom, Minecraft (Video Game), Sleepy Bois Inc
Genre: (although Tommy's in this so what do you expect), Gen, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Gender-neutral Reader, No Romance, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Platonic Relationships, Reader-Insert, Self-Insert, Tags May Change, cursing, takes place post-war but pre-election
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2021-01-06
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:35:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28339305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Faye_Violet/pseuds/Faye_Violet
Summary: You glanced upwards to find Dream, now holding a purple axe that glinted in the sunlight. His mask was slightly askew, revealing piercing green eyes that carefully observed your every move."I thought I made myself clear," he repeated, "when I said I wanted you gone by morning."You scrambled to your feet, frantically apologizing. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize- I was exhausted, I swear I didn't mean to sleep in- If anything, it's your fault for not giving me an alarm clock-"He brought the axe to your neck, his expression eerily calm. "Excuses, excuses," he murmured.
Comments: 10
Kudos: 129





	1. In the Woods Somewhere

**Author's Note:**

> If there are any TWs/CWs necessary in future chapters, you'll find them here.

Soaked by rainwater and blinded by hunger, you stumbled through the forest, leaning on trees for support. As the black in the corners of your eyes threatened to take over your sight completely, you spotted an incredibly out-of-place door, pressed into the side of a mountain. Desperate, you flung it open, supporting your entire weight on the doorknob as you did so. Leaving the door ajar, you collapsed onto the floor, on the verge of passing out.

Before you had the chance to compose herself, a sword rested under your chin, tilting your head upwards and introducing you to three shadowed figures.

"Who are you?" asked the sword-wielder. "What are you doing here?" You hesitated, trembling with a combination of fear and exhaustion, and the sword pressed harder against your throat. "Come now, answer the question."

"Y/N," you rasped, "I was just looking for shelter from the rain."

A new voice piped up now, dripping with a British accent. "What should we do with them, Dream?"

You felt the figure in front of you tighten his grip on the sword, and you squeezed your eyes shut, holding your breath.

After a moment, the sword returned to its owner's side. "We'll show them mercy," he decided, to the dismay of his friends. "Sapnap, bring them some food. George, grab some blankets and pillows. And you."

He crouched down to your level, leaning close enough to your face to be identifiable- He was a tall man, with dirty blonde hair that poked up from behind a white mask, a black, crudely drawn smiley-face plastered on top. 'Dream' you recalled one of the others had called him. It was fitting, in a twisted sort of way.

"When I wake up, you better be gone. Understood?"

The rest of that night was a blur, and you would awake only remembering brief glimpses and sensations. The clearest memory is one of tangling yourself up in pillows and blankets, suffocating in the unfamiliar warmth of it all until you fell into a deep and delirious slumber.

***

"I thought I made myself clear."

You jolted awake, temporarily blinded by the sun's early rays reaching through the window. You were still in the living room that you had stumbled into the previous night, laying on a blue comforter that had been lazily thrown towards you. You glanced upwards to find Dream, now holding a purple axe that glinted in the sunlight. His mask was slightly askew, revealing piercing green eyes that carefully observed your every move.

"I thought I made myself clear," he repeated, "when I said I wanted you gone by morning."

You scrambled to your feet, frantically apologizing. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize- I was exhausted, I swear I didn't mean to sleep in- If anything, it's your fault for not giving me an alarm clock-"

He brought the axe to your neck, his expression eerily calm. "Excuses, excuses," he murmured.

You froze, sweat pricking on your brow. "No, please-"

"Oh, relax, he's just messing with you."

A boy with scruffy black hair and a white t-shirt was leaning against the doorway to the kitchen, tying a white headband around his forehead- How long he had been watching this display, you had no idea. 

Dream rolled his eyes, lowering the axe. "You're no fun," he huffed, moving into the kitchen, and the boy chuckled.

You leaned close to the boy, frowning. "Is this, like, normal for him?" you whispered.

"For new people? For sure," he nodded. "Between you and me, I think he kind of gets off on it-"

" _SAPNAP!_ "

The boy, now identified as Sapnap, exploded with laughter.

"It's too early for this," a British voice grumbled.

You turned to your right to watch a boy in a blue t-shirt trudge down the stairs (He had been addressed as 'George' last night, you recalled). He twirled a pair of white clout goggles on his finger, round and round and round in such a rhythmic way that it was almost hypnotizing. 

"Is breakfast ready yet? I'm starving," he yawned, stretching his arms into the air.

Sapnap frowned. "Wait, you're just getting up? You idiot, it was your turn to make breakfast this morning!"

"No way, I made it yesterday!"

"Nu-uh, that was me! We had scrambled eggs, remember?"

"Sapnap, _I_ made those-"

You twisted your head back and forth between the two boys, as if you were watching a fast-paced tennis match, before Dream came in between them.

"Guys, relax, I'll just make toast or something."

The two froze, struck by the frank stupidity of the situation.

"He really _is_ like our dad," George sighed, and the three snickered.

You awkwardly hung back in the doorway, watching as they took their seats at the dining table.

Sapnap turned to you, raising an eyebrow. "Are you just gonna stand there?"

You blinked, eyes widening. "Oh, yeah, sorry, I'll go-"

Dream held out a plate towards you. "Stay," he insisted. "Eat."


	2. Squaring Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Oi, how many subs you got?"
> 
> You blinked. "Huh?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TWs: Cursing (B*tch, sh*t, f*ck)  
> A more spoiler-heavy TW is listed in the end notes.
> 
> This chapter's name is taken from the song 'Squaring Up' by Sir Chloe, which I think sets the tone nicely as well as reminds me of a certain character who will be making their debut in this chapter (You can probably guess who it is from the little snippet in the chapter summary).

You pulled the reins on your steed, slowing to a trot as you made your way up the hill. Early morning light casted down on you through the treetops, illuminating the faint dirt path that laid before you. _God_ , you thought, _I haven't ridden a horse since-_

You blinked, frowning. You had no memories, had only woken up in those woods hungry and scared and confused. You were lucky you could think at all, let alone ride a horse.

You hurriedly glanced at your map. There was no time to concern yourself over things you couldn't control- you had to get to this town and grab supplies.

"You have nowhere to go, do you," Dream had said that morning, and you knew it hadn't been a question.

He had lead you to a small stable after breakfast, showing you a wide array of horses until you settled on a young mare named Rain.

"Do you know how to ride a horse?" he had asked, and you had said yes, though there really was no way you could've known that. There was something inside of you that knew, you supposed.

After preparing the horse, he had given you a map. "You'll find people there," he'd assured. "You can get food and weapons and armor. Maybe a home, if you'd like. Make a name for yourself."

You shifted awkwardly, maneuvering so you could hold the reins in one hand and your map in the other. You had, indeed, come upon some sort of settlement- there were paths and homes and shops, although you wouldn't really categorize it as a 'Town'. It felt disorganized and rushed, and creeper holes were too common for comfort. 

"L'Manburg, eh?" you mused, dismounting Rain and tying her to the closest tree.

You hadn't taken ten steps forward before a sword was brought to your chest ( _Is this just how people greet each other around here?_ you wondered). A blonde boy stood before you, wearing some sort of navy blue uniform.

"Who's your favorite woman?!" he cried, and you stumbled backwards, taken aback not only by the question but by his stark British accent. "Answer the question, bitch!"

"Uh, I don't-"

"You don't what? You don't have one?"

You continued walking backwards with your arms in the air, but he persisted, his sword hovering over your heart. "No, I- Well, not necessarily, I just don't understand-"

"It's an easy question, really. You can speak English, can't you?! Just-"

"Britney Spears!" you screamed. "My favorite woman is Britney Spears, always will be, always has been. Yep! Good ol' Britney!"

The two of you froze, staring at each other, equally shocked. Slowly, surely, the boy raised his sword over his head.

"Wrong answer, bitch," he sneered.

Before you could react, another boy, clad in the same uniform as the other, stepped in between the two of you. "Not yet, Tommy! They could be useful!"

The British boy, now identified as Tommy, frowned, lowering his sword. "But... but, they answered the question wrong-"

The boy grinned at you- "Just a moment!"- before leaning his elbow on Tommy's shoulder. "T, if we can get them on L'Manburg's side, that's one more vote in your favor."

He opened his mouth to object before stopping himself, furrowing his brow in thought. "You know what, Tubbo, some endorsement might not be too bad..." He turned towards you. "Oi, how many subs you got?"

You blinked. "Huh?"

"Are you brain dead? Subs! Follows, views..." He frowned, observing your blank expression. "Primes?" You opened your mouth to speak, but he waved you off. "Nevermind, nevermind. Look, my friend Tubbo over here says we should spare you, but I'm not just about to let a wanker like you off the hook so easy."

He unsheathed his sword once more, and you noted that it had that same dark purple sheen as Dream's axe. 

" _AAAAHHH!"_

And, suddenly, he was running straight at you, too fast for you to dodge or defend yourself. Desperate, you raised your arms over your head, squeezing your eyes shut in anticipation...

...only for him to charge right past you, piercing his purple blade straight through-

"Rain!" you cried, but it was too late. You blinked, and she was gone, Tommy brushing the dirt off his hands in satisfaction.

You could feel your stomach rise with nausea, but not over pity for the fallen steed. "Dude, that wasn't my horse!"

He froze, his cocky grin faltering. "Who's was it?"

You paced back and forth, chewing on your nail. "Shit, shit, shit... I promised I would bring it back to him..."

Tubbo stood beside his friend, his brow furrowed. " _Who's was it?_ "

"You probably don't know him, he had this weird secret base in the woods-"

Tommy whipped you around to face you, grabbing you by the shoulders. " _Who's. Was. It._ "

You sighed. "Just this guy, his name was, uh... Something like Sleep or Nightmare or..."

"Dream," the boys whispered in unison, as if it was a curse.

You snapped your fingers, nodding. "That's it! i'm so bad with names it's- Um, you alright?"

Tommy shot Tubbo a look before slowly turning towards you, his eyes wide.

"We're fucked," he sighed, and you felt an unfamiliar hand clasp on your shoulder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TWs: Animal death, but it isn't described in detail.  
> As always, advice/criticism is more than welcome. (Kudos to anyone who caught the Spirit reference in this chapter!)


	3. Seashore

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Rain, huh? Lovely name for a horse, has anybody told you that?"
> 
> "Oh, yeah," Sapnap hummed, unsheathing a glimmering purple sword. "Dream named her."
> 
> Tubbo gulped. "Did he?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TWs: Brief mention of blood, cursing, mention of animal death
> 
> To clarify, this fic as of now takes place right before the election.
> 
> This chapter's title is taken from the song of the same name by The Regrettes, which I think fits the tone pretty nicely as well as reminds me of the characters. Enjoy!

"These guys bothering you?" a British voice murmured, earnest and concerned.

You jolted at the touch, whipping your head around to face George. "Oh, uh..."

" _Obviously_ not!" Tommy scoffed. "We're all just having a good time and-"

"Uh huh," another voice chimed in, dry and sarcastic.

You whipped your head in the other direction to find Sapnap, his elbow leaning against your shoulder. "Is that why Rain's bleeding out over there?"

A tense silence fell over the group, electricity in the air.

Tubbo coughed, mustering a smile. "Rain, huh? Lovely name for a horse, has anybody told you that?"

"Oh, yeah," Sapnap hummed, unsheathing a glimmering purple sword. " _Dream_ named her."

He gulped. "Did he?"

"He's not going to be happy when he finds out his second favorite horse is dead," said George, a sly smile tugging at his lips. "Especially after the death of his _first_ favorite."

Tommy grinned, reaching into his back pocket. "That's why he'll never find out."

In one swift motion, he seized Tubbo's arm and threw an ender pearl as hard as he could. With a final taunting cheer and a flash of purple dust, they were gone.

"Motherfuckers!" Sapnap cried, starting to chase after them before George held him back.

"Let them go."

"Are you serious?! We can't let them get away with-"

"It's not worth it, Sap," George cut in, harsher than you'd expected from him. "They learned their lesson, and they know Dream'll come after them eventually. Let them go."

Sapnap opened his mouth to object, stopped himself, and reluctantly dropped his sword. "Fine," he groaned.

You took a step forward, frowning. "Hold on, back up a sec. What happened to the _first_ horse?"

The two blinked, as if they had forgotten you were even there.

"That," Sapnap grinned, "is a long story."

You shrugged. "I'm not doing Shoot."

George glanced between the two of you before sighing, starting down the path. "Come on, I'll give you a tour while you talk."

***

"So Spirit's dead-"

"That's the drug van," George pointed out.

"-and I _wanted_ to make a shrine for them-"

"And those're the walls. They're important, I think. Symbolic or whatever. But I don't really get it."

"-but," Sapnap snorted, "I used their leather to make the item frame-"

"And they're having an election?" you recalled, and George nodded.

"Yeah, Wilbur's president but he was never technically _elected_ , so..."

"-so there wasn't anything to put in the item frame-"

You frowned, raising an eyebrow. "And _Tommy's_ his vice president? That kid from earlier?"

George laughed. "Yep. But, uh, don't call him a kid to his face. Unless you want to get 'stabbed and shit'. His words, not mine."

"-but I think Tommy has the leather now? Not really sure what happened there- Hey, are you listening?"

"And who's side are y'all on?" you asked. "Election wise, I mean."

George thought for a moment. "We usually look out for ourselves," he admitted slowly, "and Dream isn't very... open."

"Except for when he's mad," Sapnap added.

"Except for when he's mad," he nodded. "Then he's _very_ open."

You raised an eyebrow. "And you're friends with this guy?"

The two shot each other a look- frowning, judging- before turning back towards you.

"Of course," said Sapnap, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"AY, GEORGE, MY FRIEND!"

"God, I hate this guy," George sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Hey, Quackity."

You blinked. "Quacka-who?"

An arm sleazily slung itself over your shoulder. "Ey, that's alright, man, you can call me Big Q."

You looked the beanied boy up and down, raising an eyebrow. "Right. Remind me who you are?"

Quackity turned to the man standing beside him, donned in a suit with a bright red tie. "Can you believe this? They don't know who I am!"

"Most people don't. JSchlatt, I don't believe we've met."

"Most people haven't. Y/N," you introduced, exchanging a firm handshake. "Uh, _should_ I know who you are?"

Schlatt shrugged. "Sure, if you're not a fucking idiot." He leaned in, arching his brows. "You're not a fucking idiot, are you?"

You blinked. "I would hope not."

There was something intimidating about this Schlatt guy- Maybe it was his height, or his suit, or the way he smelled faintly of whiskey and gun smoke.

Or, perhaps, it was the horns that portruded from his skull and wrapped around his ears, framing his eerily cheerful expression.

 _Yep_ , you thought. _Definitely that last bit_.

"So, uh, George." Quackity rubbed his hands together, chuckling lightly. "Have you thought about my offer?"

"Oh." George glanced away, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, um... I think I need more time to consider."

"Listen, George, buddy." Schlatt gripped George's shoulder, and by the look on his face he was doing so a little too tightly. "You can take all the time you want, but... Time is money. And money, well," he laughed quietly, "money makes the world go 'round, keeps us alive, stops us from tearing each other apart." He gave his shoulder a tighter squeeze, grinning. "Time is running out," he murmured. "You don't want to run out of time, now, do you?"

"No, I suppose not..."

"Good!" Schlatt gave him a resounding slap on the back, smiling as if nothing had happened. "Well, I have business to attend to with Quackity. You watch yourself, Y/N."

You mustered a smile- "You got it"- And they were gone.

George groaned, turning to Sapnap. "Do you see what I have to deal with?! I told you I wasn't exaggerating, they're nuts!"

He nodded, his brow furrowed. "Yeah, I see what you mean."

"Wait, wait, wait." You took a step forward, glancing between the two. "What the hell just happened?"

George sighed, lifting his sunglasses to rest on his hair. "Quackity and Schlatt are the other candidates. They're trying to make me choose one of them to endorse, but I barely have any idea what's going on. If I don't make a choice, though, I'm not sure what they'll do to me..."

Sapnap raised an eyebrow. "Dude, Dream would ban them before they even laid a finger on you."

"I know, but I don't want to get him wrapped up in this..."

"It's not that big of a deal, just tell him."

He huffed, exasperated. "No, Sapnap, I can handle myself!"

"Obviously you can't, did you see what just-"

"I'll do it."

The two turned to you, blinking.

George furrowed his brow. "What?"

"I'll do it," you repeated, before you could stop yourself. "The endorsement. I'll do it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not sure if this timeline is 100% accurate since I'm not sure when Spirit was killed, sorry about that.

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first thing I've posted on here, so comments/constructive criticism is super appreciated.


End file.
